Requiem for the Damned
by Seann Alkaz
Summary: With Spike's death still fresh in Faye's mind, the thought of never confessing her love for him continues to nag at her. When his body goes missing and a strange phone call from the deceased man comes, Faye sets out to find the one that got away. COMPLETE
1. The Late Spike Spiegel

_"With every end comes a new beginning."_

            If life is such a fragile thing, why do we endanger it? We weaken it with drugs. We bruise it with violence. We utterly destroy it with our darkest needs. To some, life is just a toy, something you play with and then get rid off when you are tired of it. Hence the true reason behind murder. Behind murder, there is the secret enjoyment the person gets at watching the soul slip away from the victim. The utter finality of it. Some of these victims are lucky and are granted a second chance. Only very few pass the test.

            Tears streamed down Faye's pale face, causing her eyeliner to stain her face with black lines. Her sobs filled the small room.

            "The idiot." Faye cried to no one. "The damn fool." More tears burst forth. She continued to mumble to herself as the television droned on.

            The letter had arrived this morning to the ship. Just by the look of it, Faye knew something was wrong. Jet had opened it first, looked at it quickly, and then shut his eyes. He stood there for a good two minutes before he dropped the letter and walked off without a word. Faye jumped to retrieve the letter and suddenly wished she had not been so eager.

            Even before the letter arrived that morning, the absence of Spike left a bad taste in her mouth. Since he had left the Bebop the night before, leaving Faye in tears, trouble had begun. The reason the man ran off was, for lack of a better term, love. His object of affection, Julia, was shot down by his once partner in crime, Vicious. Spike had to settle the score once and for all. He had to kill Vicious.

            The letter filled in all that Faye had missed. Her black tears left splotches on the paper, which was now crumpled on the floor next to her. 

             **_To whom it may concern,_**

**_                   On the night of June 14th, 2071, a battle was raged between the Red Dragon syndicate and Spike Spiegel. As it seems to us, Mr. Spiegel fought down to his last breath. He was murdered at 11:47 P.M. All of the registered bounty hunters in the galaxy have been notified of the event and have been invited to attend the funeral ceremony on the 18th of August._**

**_Thank You for your time_**

****

**_Stephen Costasio_**

**_Police Chief_**

            Faye sat on the cold steel floor for a long time, the death of Spike still continuing to gnaw away at her, when the shrill sound of a ringing phone snapped her back to reality like a whip.

            She stared at it for a long moment before her slender fingers reached for it.

            "Hello." Faye said solemnly.

            There was a long silence before a deep voice broke in.

            "Hello," the voice seemed to be tired. "This is Michael from the Interplanetary Health Committee. Our morgue has reported a corpse by the name Spike Spiegel. We need you to come down to identify the body." Another long pause. Faye choked back her tears. Silence once again filled her ear.

            "This is the Bebop?" Michael asked. Faye nodded and then, remembering that the man could not see her replied with a hoarse voice.

            "Yes." Faye croaked. "Yes, this is the Bebop."

            "Good," Michael continued. "You can come down at around noon if that's all right with you?"

            "Yes."

            "Good. Do you have the address?"

            "I'll find it."

            "Ok then. Good bye."

            "Bye." Faye hung up the phone. She lifted her head and found her staring at herself. Her long purple hair was now tangled. Her dark eyes known red from thee many tears that had streamed from them. Basically, she looked like shit. _Oh well,_ she thought, trying to cheer herself up, _at least I can't look any worse._ Faye forced a laugh but it came out as nothing more than a cough. She took one last look at herself and then turned away.

            "Jet!" She called out to the ship. "Jet! I'm going out for a while! I'll be back by two!" Faye waited for a reply but none came. Without another word, she walked out of the room to her waiting cruiser.


	2. I Dream of Spike

"Love is only a feeling…" 

Faye popped the key into the ignition and the cruiser started with a roar. She paused for a second, took a deep breath, and opened the hatch door. She flew out of the garage and into the night. It would take a while for her to get to Mars from Ganymede. Faye placed the ship on auto pilot and slowly closed her eyes…

            She was standing in the middle of a park. Birds chirped happily around her, soaring through the warm afternoon sun. She looked around for a moment when someone sitting on the grass nearby caught her eye. Spike stared up at the clouds, a cigarette hanging from between his lips. A small wisp of gray smoke floated up into the deep blue sky. 

            _Faye smiled and walked over to him. She sat down slowly next to him, unsure of what to say._

_            "Want a smoke?" Spike never turned his head. He just continued to look at the clouds as the slowly drifted through the sky._

_            "Sure." Faye took the cigarette from Spike's hand and graciously accepted his silver Zippo. She flipped it open and placed the small orange flame near the end of the cigarette. The tip glowed orange for a moment and then died down._

_            "Watching these clouds," Spike took a drag from his cigarette. He blew the smoke out in a small ring. "Makes me hungry for marshmallows." Faye laughed. Spike smiled at her. His different colored eyes met her dark ones for a minute before both of them looked at the ground. _

_            "You weirdo." Faye took a long drag of her own cigarette. She looked up at the clouds and, to her surprise, were marshmallows. She looked at them for another moment and then looked back at Spike. _

_            "Your dead. I got a letter telling me you were dead." Faye looked at the man._

_            "Yeah, I know." Spike smiled at her. "I told you, I've already died. You can't die twice can you?"_

_            "Well… no, but you can't really be here."_

_            "If I weren't here, would I be able to do this?" Spike leaned closer to her. His cigarette fell out of his mouth and now lay on the grass between them. Faye leaned closer too._

_            "You gorgio." She could feel his warm breath on her face. Faye could almost taste his lips. She let the cigarette fall from her limp fingers. Spike put his hand on her cheek._

_            "I love you." Spike smiled._

_            "And I lo-"_

            "AUTO PILOT DISENGAGED." The voice awoke Faye quickly. Her head jerked forward and smacked into the front windshield.

            "Shit!" Faye rubbed the bump gingerly. Pain surged through her whole head. She winced in pain as she reached in to her purse and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She popped two pills into her mouth and swallowed them dry.

            Faye was no longer flying through space. Tall buildings loomed above her. She had finally arrived on Mars. Faye yawned.

            "What the hell was that all about?" She took the key out of the ignition and opened the door of the cruiser. As Faye stepped out into the light, she pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. Within ten seconds, small wisps of smoke were floating effortlessly upward.

            Faye looked up and down the street. The address she had said "73921 Noverta Avenue." After a minute of asking directions, she found the right place.

            "Going to the morgue. What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon."


	3. No Body' Loves Faye Valentine

Hello all my devoted fans. I'm sorry for the long delay but I haven't had a chance to write lately. I will not be able to write chapter four for a little while due to the fact that I'm going on vacation… Anyhow… ENJOY! 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"But when they torture you, you will not feel the need to run…"_

Faye's heels clicked as she walked up the stone steps of the morgue. Grief clutched at her heart. The pain of having to see Spike again caused a tear to well up in her eye. She quickly wiped it away and opened the door to the building.

At first, Faye thought the place was abandoned. No one was around and only one light illuminated the room. A dusty lamp shone on the reception desk.

"Hello?" Faye called. There was no answer.

"Is anyone there?" She called again. Still no reply came.

"I must have the wrong place." Faye turned to walk out. Before she could reach the door a man walked.

The man was extremely short. _And extremely old_, Faye thought. He had a large bald spot on the top of his head. A wall of silver hair surrounded it. The man wore glasses that magnified his eyes so much that they seemed to fill the large lenses. He was also getting pudgy in his midsection. Faye forced herself to hold back the laugh that wanted so badly to escape from her mouth.

"Are you Ms. Valentine?" The short man asked.

"Yes." Faye smiled at the man.

"Good! Very good! I expect you are here to see the crime syndicate victim?"

Faye nodded. The man jumped up and down excitedly. This time, a small giggle escaped from Faye's mouth.

"Follow me." He grabbed her hand and began to pull her in the direction of the back. As they walked through the many different doors, harsh white lights illuminated the halls. Of what Faye could see, the walls were painted a green that was the same shade as puke.

After a minute, they reached the correct room. The smell of formaldehyde wafted up Faye's nose as the man opened the door.

The first thing that met Faye's eyes were the many silver cabinets. Just the thought of Spike's naked body lying on the slab nearly forced her back to tears. She quickly forced the thought out of her head.

"Ok Ms. Valentine," The little man squeaked. "The victim's name is Spike Spiegel, correct?" Faye nodded. The man smiled. "Good! That makes things a whole lot easier. Now if I remember…" He began to scan the many rows of cabinets. The man began to mumble to himself as he walked, a look of pure concentration on his face.

"Aha!" He gestured for Faye to move closer. She walked slowly across the tile, nervous of what she would see. "Hurry up! Hurry up! I have other things to do!" Faye moved a little quicker as the man pulled a key out from his shirt pocket. He smiled up at Faye.

"Open sesame." He placed the key in to the lock on the cabinet. Faye held her breath. Tears began to fill her eyes. She could not look at him. A sob threatened to escape from her lips but she choked it back. The man opened the cabinet and what Faye saw made her stare with a mixture of surprise and horror.

"Where is the body?" The man stuck his tounge out in expression of concentration. "I could have sworn no orders for autopsy were sent." He placed a wrinkled hand to his chin. "I remember seeing the body when it came in the other day." The man mumbled to himself for another minute before he turned to Faye. Her mouth was open, her eyes still focused on the empty slab.

"Ms. Valentine?" She did not respond. "Ms. Valentine?" Still no answer. "Ms. Valentine!" Faye shook her head and stared at the man. A lock of deep purple hair fell onto her face.

"Yes?" Faye said in a dazed voice.

"I guess someone must have taken the body for observation. I'll check the other offices and see what I can find. I'll call you if I find anything." The man said.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

And with that, Faye walked out of the morgue and to her ship.

- - -

The first thing Faye did, upon reaching her ship, was contact Jet. She called him via her cell phone. After two rings, his gruff voice answered the silence.

"What is it Faye?"

"Hello to you too, Jet." Faye laughed.

"What is it?" Jet asked, trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"Spike's body is gone. The man at the morgue said someone may have taken it for an autopsy but I seriously doubt it. He said he'd call me if he found anything."

There was a minute of silence before Jet answered.

"And you're telling me this why?"

"I just thought you'd like to know what's going on Jet. You don't have to be an asshole about it." Faye said, frustration leaking into her voice.

"It was his choice to go and it what he gets for leaving like that." There was a beep, and Jet was gone.

"Stupid fucking asshole!" Faye slammed the cell phone down onto the dashboard. "Trying to act all macho. I know he's upset but why does he have to act like such an emotionless shit!" She placed her head in her hands.

"Why Spike," A tear streamed down her cheek. "Why did you have to leave?"

Just then, the shrill call of her cell cut the silence. Faye hastily picked it up and without thought, burst out.

"Look Jet, I don't care about your stupid fucking apology. You had no right to-" Before she could finish, a voice ripped her from her anger.

"Faye? It's Spike. We need to talk."


	4. Phone Tag

What's up everyone! Seann here… Now, I know some of you are mad about the cliffhanger last chapter but it was needed… Don't worry everyone! You won't have to spank me, Desmonia! Anyhow, here's chapter four! Thanks for all your support people. !

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            "Faye? It's Spike. We need to talk."

            Silence filled the air. Faye pulled the phone away from her ear, stared at it to make sure it was on. She put it back near her ear.

            "Hello?" She said again, her voice shaking.

            "Faye? Is that you?" Hearing his voice caused a tear to well up in her eye.

            "Y-y-yes… it is. Is that really you Spike?"

            "In the flesh. Now look Faye, I don't have a lot of time to-"

            "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU! YOU HAD ME GOING THAT YOU GOT YOU ASS BLOWN OFF BY VICIOUS! YOU SHOULD **NOT** TREAT A LADY LIKE THIS! DO YOU KNOW HOW ANNOYING IT IS HAVING TO RUN ALL OVER MARS FOR YOUR SORRY ASS?! DO YOU?!" Faye chest heaved up and down. Her breath came out in growls. She waited for Spike's voice to answer in some sarcastic way but it didn't come.

            "Spike?" Static answered her. "SPIKE!"

            His voice came to her then, interrupted by static.

            "Vicious…dead…Dragon…syndicate…trying…power…I…prisoner…On…" Static hissed into her ear, blocking out the last word. Anger crept up her neck, as well as fear.

            "Spike! Spike, where are you?! Can you hear me?!" Only static answered her. Faye slammed it onto the dashboard and put her head in her hands. "Shit." She sighed and pulled her head lazily back up. "Where the fuck are you Cowboy?"

            Faye sat there, trying to sort the many thoughts in her head, when the looming shape of the Bebop filled her view. "Great," she wined, "More problems to deal with." After a few minutes, the Bebop grew larger. Faye placed a call to her favorite ex-cop.

            "Jet, let me the fuck in or I blow open the garage door and let myself in." Faye laughed a little. She wasn't expecting a reply, but when one came, she didn't show her surprise.

            "Could you at least have said please?" Jet's deep voice rang out. Amusement hung on the edges of it.

            "And I thought you knew me well!" Without another word between the two, the garage door opened and Faye flew inside.

- - -

            "Can you just shut up for two minutes?!" Jet yelled at the woman who continued to talk about morgues and phone calls. He took a deep breath. "Now say that last part one more time."

            "I was flying back from the morgue," Faye said this in a tired voice. "When I called you. You were your normal stubborn self, of course, and then you hung up on me. I called you a few things I'd rather not mention when my phone rang. Thinking it was you, I said for you to basically… to go fuck yourself but it wasn't you that answered. It was Spike."

            "And what did he say?"

            "He said something about Vicious being dead, and some Dragon syndicate trying to get back to power, and him being a prisoner somewhere."

            "Anything else?"

            "Nope, the static took over."

            "Well the only way we're going to be able to find the reckless idiot is to trace his call." Jet stood up and walked over to the laptop. He turned it on and as soon as the screen lit up, he began typing away.

            "And how can we track the call from my cell?" Faye walked around the table to his back. He seemed to be on some kind of search site.

            "We have to get the best hacker we can get." Jet typed in one word and as soon as Faye read it, her jaw dropped.

            "No, You can't mean…"

- - -

            "Ed is here!" Ed's ever smiling face was grinning at the pair. "What can Edward do for Bebop-Bebop today?" Faye sighed with exhaustion.

            "We need you to trace a call Ed." Jet handed Ed the cell phone.

            "Oo… cell phones can be very tricky." Ed examined it for a moment and then put the device in her mouth.

            "ED!" Faye smacked the girl in the back of the head. The cell phone popped out and skidded across the floor.

            "Cell phones not tasty either." Ed frowned and pulled the goggles off her forehead. With a snap, she placed them over her eyes. "Hand Ed the phone." She said in a misty voice. Faye picked the phone up, placed it in the Ed's hand, and quickly rushed off to the bathroom to rinse off the drool on her hand.

            "Ok Ed," Jet cast one quick look at Faye and then turned to Ed. "We need you to find where exactly the call came from. I know it's going to be hard due to the fact the phone is a cell but we need you to try."

            "How much does Ed get for worky poo?" Ed looked behind her back and up at Jet.

            "Well… ten thousand woolongs. Is that good enough?" Jet grunted at losing that much money.

            "And can Ed become member again of Bebop-Bebop?"

            "Fine."

            "What about Cowboy Woof-Woof?"

            "'Cowboy Woof-Woof?'"

            "Yes. Cowboy Woof-Woof."

            Jet stared at Ed, trying to understand what she was saying. Then it dawned on him.

            "Yes, Ein can join again too." Jet smiled

            "CALL HIM COWBOY WOOF-WOOF!" Ed yelled in his face. Jet jumped back and nearly fell over the table.

            "Ok." He deep breathed. "Just get it done."     

            "Yes Master." Then, Ed was gone into the cyber world. She hummed a quiet tune as she worked. Faye walked back in the room, wiping her hands on a brown paper towel.

            "Has she found anything yet?" Faye tossed the wet paper towel into a trashcan by the side of the yellow couch and proceeded to sit in it. Jet sat down next to her.

            "Not yet. You know it takes her a while." Jet placed his feet on the table in front of him. "Ed wanted a lot for this job."

            "As in woolongs or…" Faye broke off, hoping Jet wouldn't say what she feared the most.

            "And she wants to join the crew again." Faye screamed in frustration as Jet finished.

            "We can't have her on the ship again! I can't deal with her forever!"  Faye stood quickly and walked over to Ed. With the fakest smile in the world plastered on her face, Faye sat down next to Ed and watched the screen.

            "Have you found anything?"

            "Almost Faye-Faye…" Ed drifted off again. Faye tried as hard as she could to hold the smile.

            "Are you getting cl-" Before Faye could finish, Ed let out a high pitched squeal and took off her goggles.

            "Found Spike person!" Jet jumped off his seat and sat down next to the pair of girls.

            "Where is he, Ed?" Faye asked anxiously. Ed typed something in and a map of Mars popped onto the screen. A large green dot flashed on and off on the planet.

            "Spike person is in the city of Koltran on Mars!" Ed smiled. "Ed found Spike person. Ed found Spike person." She stood up and began to chant it around the room.

            "Looks like we better go get him. I'll just take the bebop down when we get there. As for you Faye, I think you should…" Jet turned around and looked for Faye. He only found a prancing Ed.

            "Faye!" Jet called. Ed stopped dancing and looked at Jet.

            "Sorry Jet person. Faye-Faye's gone. She's off to find Spike person." Ed began to dance again. Jet sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands.

            "Shit."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok… there's chapter four. I know the ending kinda sucks but five will be up soon. I will be gone until Friday so… expect it soon after that. Okay… you know the drill… R & R! Ok… Thanks…

Seann


	5. Flirting at the Harvest Moon

Yo… Sorry for the loooong wait. I was sick and my dad wouldn't get off the computer and then there was my trip and then there was my girlfriend and… Continues to ramble until smacks head into wall OW! Anyhow rubs spot furiously, I need all you loyal readers, and you new ones, to review as much as possible. PLEASE DON'T SPAM THOUGH! If you have already reviewed for a new chapter, please don't review for that same chapter again. This contest with my friend must be fair. For this contest, I must get over 40 reviews… TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT MY STORY SO THEY WILL READ AND REVIEW!!! Anyhow, thank you for all your support guys! Thanks!!

-Seann

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Faye was off without a word to anyone. She had to find him. If it were the last thing she would do, she would find that lunkhead. But Faye had one more problem to deal with before finding Spike. She had to find Koltran.

            At first, the thought of contacting the Bebop crossed her mind. Then, after giving herself a minute to think it over, she quickly tossed the idea out.

            "If I even bother to contact that greedy bastard Jet, it'll cost me more than just the shirt off my back." Faye sighed, a combination of exhaustion and down right irritation. "Guess I'll just have to get the information from someone else." This made her smile. "And I know exactly how to do it." She laughed and began to descend down to Mars.

- - -

            A blue neon sign glared into the night. It continued to flash on and off, casting legendary shadows onto the street below. As it had been for every Thursday night the past ten years, jazz leaked out the slightly ajar front door of the Harvest Moon Bar. For just a moment, the full blast of noise and dim light overwhelmed the outside world, then it ended quickly as the woman who opened the door closed it slowly behind her.

            The combined smell of alcohol, smoke, puke, and urine, greeted Faye as she walked in the door. She choked back a bit of puke of her own before continuing through the room. As her stilettos clicked across the room, a few heads turned to catch a glimpse of the new comer. Also, the sound of a few slaps answered the turned heads. Faye grinned widely and continued to the bar, quite happy of the effect she caused. This job would be a piece of cake.

            Faye approached a man sitting alone at the long bar, listening to the jazz and happily sitting the beer in front of him. He seemed young but she knew never to trust appearances. The empty stool next to him seemed to call to her. _Sit on me,_ it said to Faye, _Have a drink. Enjoy the music. Forget your troubles._ Faye had listened to this invitation to many times. She ignored its call but proceeded to sit.

            "Bartender," Faye called over the jazz. "Can I get a vodka on the rocks please."

            "Yes ma'am." The bartender turned away for a moment and pulled out a small glass, which he placed on a napkin in front of her. She smiled at the middle-aged man and he grinned back.

            "And what is a beautiful woman like you doing in a dingy little bar like this?" The young man next to her took a sip from his beer.

            "I'm just here for the music my friend." The bartender poured the clear liquid into Faye's glass. She picked the drink up, took a small sip, and placed it back on the bar. She turned herself around to face the man next to her.

            "The name's Jason." The man held a hand out for her. Faye took it with coy grin and shook it once.

            "Julia." Faye used the only name that came to mind. "And may I ask what a fine gentleman like yourself is doing all alone?" She eyed him carefully. "You seem to be a gentleman."

            "Yes and yes to both questions." Jason took a large gulp of his beer. "Can I trust you to keep a secret?"

            "Of course." Faye could her the drunken drawl in his voice. He motioned for her to lean in and she did so.

            "I can't have a girlfriend you see." The smell of beer and sweat wafted off of him. "It's my line of work."

            "At what might that be?" Faye asked in a fake tone of curiosity.

            Jason looked around cautiously for a moment, casting glances around the room. He leaned a little closer.

            "I'm a member of the Red Dragon syndicate." Faye tried to restrain the laugh, which threatened to come out.

            "Wow. That's very… brave of you to take that line of work."

            "Does that turn you on baby?" Jason smiled the grin of a drunk.

            "Oh… of course."

            "Would you like to visit me sometime?"

            "Sure… Jason." Faye giggled a little, trying to stay in character.

            "Are you sure?"

            "Yes. Now, where do you live?"

            "On Koltran." The word _JACKPOT_ seemed to flash over the boy's head. Faye smiled.

            "I'm afraid I've never been there sweetie." Sincerity was not hard to fake when it came to Faye.

            "Well don't worry baby. I'll give y' directions and e'ry thing." Jason's words began to slur together as he downed the last of his beer. Jason picked a napkin off the bar and pulled out a pen from his back pocket. He scribbled something down and handed it to Faye. She could barely make out the words but she would manage.

            "Thanks honey." She pulled his face close to her's and kissed his cheek. A deep red color filled Jason's face.

            "Yer welcome doll face." Jason opened his eyes and only saw Faye's back as she walked out the door.

- - -

            "Drunken idiot." Faye pulled out the napkin and began to read over it. "'Head 1000 miles south of here until you reach Touraniyk. Then head west from there for another 300 miles. See you there doll face!'" Faye frowned at that last comment.

            "Doll face… horny bastard." Faye walked to her cruiser and opened the door. She sat down and studied the directions again. "It'll take a while but I'll make it. I just hope Spike hasn't gotten himself kill-" Before she could finish, a cold blade was placed against her throat.

            "Well, Ms. Valentine, I hope you won't mind having a hitchhiker will you? I'm going your way." The man behind her laughed. "Take me to Koltran… doll face." He laughed and Faye couldn't help but feel lost. She had failed again.

            "Now." Jason placed the blade closer to her throat. With a tear streaming down her cheek, Faye began the long trip to Koltran… and her lost love.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ok… I hope that was a good chapter. I wrote it while I was half asleep… PLEASE R&R. The plot is beginning to wind up to the climax. What will Faye find on Koltran? Why is the Red Dragon after her as well? Only chapter 6 will tell. Till then folks…

Seann


	6. Faye vs Jason: A Fight for Survival

Welcome to the next installment of "Requiem for the Damned." It's been a riveting plot so far and the climax is coming soon. I am very happy that I am getting all this support. Thank you to all you reviewers and all you loyal readers (Special thanks is coming your way…). Ok then… here's chapter six. WARNING: Slightly "rapey." No sex though. Just thought you would like to know… Let's just hope Faye can survive long enough to see her true love…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Faye had been stuck in thought for the last fifteen minutes. _How could I have been so damn careless!_ She chastised herself as the small ship carried her and Jason ever closer to Koltran and to the Red Dragon's new headquarters.

"Are we getting any closer?" Jason said from the back. A small wisp of silvery smoke came from the shadows behind Faye. The smell of the cigarette made the need for one well up inside her. It was too bad though. Jason had her pack.

"Go fuck yourself." Faye continued to pilot the ship, a new feeling of revulsion for the man behind blossoming in her mind. Before that feeling could continue to grow, the knife was back on her throat.

"I asked you a question Valentine." Jason's voice seemed to cut her worse than the knife would. Faye shook a little, a combination of fear and anger. Guilt took another swing at her as silence filled the cabin.

_You careless little girl. **ALWAYS** getting yourself caught, completely helpless without Spike to save you. _Faye closed her eyes.

"Well…" Jason forced the knife closer and Faye's eyes shot open. A small trickle of blood dripped down her front. The bastard had cut her, not deep enough yet to kill, but Faye could tell he was willing to finish the job.

"W-w-we have about another hour." Faye tried to focus but panic was starting to grip her.

"_We_ may not have another hour if you don't answer me next time." Jason pulled the knife away, slowly enough to make the cut a little deeper.Faye sighed. "Don't feel relieved yet, doll face." Jason grabbed her face harshly and turned it around so she could see him. A large grin was planted on his face, the cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He pulled it out delicately and moved his face close enough to Faye's that she could fell the tip of his nose on hers.

"I won't forget to have my way with you before this is over." Jason forced his lips onto hers. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and Faye resisted the urge to bite it off. She could taste beer and ash. When Jason finally parted with her and returned to his cigarette, Faye made a small mental note.

_If and when I escape, I am going to blow his fucking head off. Both of them._

- - -

> The day, having been a shitty one, was finally looking up.

An hour ago, Faye and Jason had just been arriving on Koltran. Faye's heart leapt as Jason had pointed out the headquarters. Just knowing that Spike was in there brought new hope to her miserable heart.

"Land there, it's the parking lot." Jason poked a finger in her peripheral vision. She followed it to where the parking lot was and snickered.

"A little shabby, don't you think?" Faye smiled, sarcasm filling her voice.

"Very funny bitch." Jason slapped her across the face. Pain was what came to her first, then anger.

"I'm sorry your superiors can't afford better pavement." Faye grinned again, taking the pain for what it was worth. Each hit she took would fuel her farther. She landed and opened the hatch.

"Well, what are you waiting for jerk off? Get out." Faye waited a moment for Jason to move. He did, but not without reaction. As he got out, he made a point to pull her out, by the hair, afterwards. She hit the ground hard, back first. Jason loomed over her, a wicked smile on his face. He kicked her in the side, forcing her to turn over.

As if out of nowhere, Jason pulled out a pair of cuffs from his pocket. A horrible thought entered Faye's head. _How many girls has he used those on?_ Before she could ask, she was bound and looking up at him again.

"Now that we're here, the real fun can begin. I don't need to worry about hurting you now. Your mine for the taking." Jason, still grinning, pulled out a switchblade. With a quick flick, the blade was out.

"Make one sound, and I will cut your voice box out. I can't harm that little mouth of yours yet. I'm gonna need that." He flicked his tongue at Faye.

"You pervert. You're lucky you got me in your cu-" The wind was knocked out of her as a swift punch landed in her gut. The word "cuff" came out as a wheeze.

"You're right. I am lucky I've got you in cuffs. That's exactly how I like it." Jason smirked. He proceeded to kneel next to her. With a quick flick of his wrist, the strap holding her blouse shut was cut, revealing the violet bra beneath. Faye stole a glance at his eyes and what she saw scared her. They seemed to be shining, even in the darkness that surrounded them.

"You… could have… at least… bought me dinner first." Faye forced out. Triumph filled her heart as Jason frowned and stood up.

"Will you just shut the fuck up!" He made to kick her but was stopped when he received a kick of his own, right in the knee. Jason legs buckled and Faye made for another hit. This time in the groin. Jason cried out in pain and hit the ground. Tears streamed down his face.

Faye laughed as another thought came to her mind. _Stilettos: Not just a fashion statement. _But the laughing had to be cut short. Before she could continue, she had to get free. With a look to her left and right, Faye found what she wanted. The switchblade was a short way away on her right. She would pick the lock. With a cautious look to the illuminated windows of the building, she began to wiggle towards it.

After a minute, she reached it. Many different things ran through Faye's mind as she struggled with the lock on the cuffs. _Spike could already be dead. I could be doing this for a lost cause. I could be trying to kill myself for someone who I don't even know is alive, let alone cares about me!_

_Of course he cares about you. _A more rational voice took over. _Why would he call you over Jet? Tell me Faye. He loves you. He knows that you would come for him. He believes that you can save him. Not Jet. No one. No one to get him out but you. Spike needs you Faye. Now stop being a whiney little bitch and get in there and save him! _There was a quiet click, and the cuffs were open.

"About time!" Faye jumped up, tied her blouse, and looked over at the squirming Jason. She walked over to him, the cuff dangling in her hand. She smiled at him and raised her leg, hovering her heel over his stomach.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Jason nodded, tears running down his face. She smiled. "And what did you do?"

"I… I tried to…" He couldn't finish.

"You tried to what Jason?"

"Tried to…"

"Can't answer? I'll tell you. You tried to rape me you fuck. Now, let me pay you back." Faye brought the heel down, into his stomach. Jason yelped, more tears spurting from his face. Blood trickled from his mouth in a small stream. "I'm letting you live for one reason." She kneeled down next to him and took his hands in hers. "So I can kill you later." Faye cuffed him and he continued to cry.

Faye stood and looked down at her work. A bulge in his left pant pocket told her where her gun was. She bent down again, picked it up, and checked for bullets. Sure enough, it was fully loaded.

"I'll be back for you." She turned away from him and began to head for the door in front of her. She knew one thing for sure.

It was going to be a long night.

- - -

> Jet was rather pissed at the moment.

Ed had not stopped singing for the past hour and he was beginning to develop a migraine from it. The computer screen in front of him and the room around him was starting to spin. He would shut his eyes, open them again, and find the room still once again.

"I found Spike! I found Spike!" Ed jumped onto the couch behind Jet and looked blankly at the computer. "What is 'RDSecurity.exe?' Jet person?" Ed cocked her head to the side.

"It's exactly as it sounds Ed. It's the security system for the Red Dragons. I'm eavesdropping on their radios to see if I can find any sign of Faye." Then, mumbling. "Just as hotheaded as Spike."

"Is there any sign of Faye-Faye?"

"Not yet but I think we may find something so-" He was cut off as a transmission blared out.

"_Female on premises. Dark violet hair, yellow blouse. Wearing heels. Is armed. Jason down. All units immediately on guard. Shoot if found." _The transmission ended but Jet was already up.

"Where were they again Ed?"

"It was… Koltran!" Ed smiled widely at him but it began to fade by the grave look on Jet's face.

"Do you know how to use a gun?" He was looking over his own as he asked her.

"Yes… no… maybe…" Ed looked up at him.

"Fine." Jet turned away from her and walked up the stairs in front of him. "Get ready to learn how to use one."

"Why?"

"Because we're going in to save our crew."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wow… long chapter. I hope you like it. It was a lot of fun to write. More coming soon. All I have to say is… WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?! Can Ed shoot a gun? Can Ein? Just kidding… of course Ein can! See you next chapter. Till then…

Seann


	7. Further Into the Lion's Den

Three chapters in four days… That's pretty damn quick for me. Hi all. Seann here welcoming you to Ch. 7 of our story. Things are starting to get crazy now and everything is just getting better. Faye just did some amazing ass kicking last chapter. WOW! Yeah… Jason's a bastard… The question is: Is Spike alive? Well, you'll find out by the end of this chapter. NO SKIPPING!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Jason's out here! Hurry up!" Many feet pounded across the asphalt toward the parked cruiser. Faye peeked around the side of the building once, making sure all backs were turned to her, and then sidled towards the door.

"That… bitch…" Jason's wheezing voice reached Faye's ears. The other men were busy mumbling and checking the cruiser. Just like she hoped. Faye continued to the door.

When she was only a foot away from the door, one of the men turned around to see her reaching for the handle. "Fuck!" Faye cursed. Shots began to cut the night air.

"Kill her dammit!" Jason bellowed from the ground. Faye was already on the floor, firing away. Two men fell from her first shots.

"Calling all units! Report to parking garage level A1!" When the man finished the call to arms, he fired three shots at the spot where Faye had been moments ago. Lucky for her, she had moved to the right and placed a bullet in the man's leg. He yelled out and hit the ground, smacking his head on the pavement. The rest of the men all turned to their fallen officer. A fatal mistake.

"Good bye boys." Faye trained her sight on the gas tank of her cruiser and fired. The ship exploded, the orange flames engulfing half of the men left. She took this chance to slip into the doorway and make her escape.

Jason forced himself into a sitting position. The bright flames illuminated half of his face. The other half was badly burned. Blood soaked his shirt. He watched Faye slip through the door and growled.

"I'm going to pay you back bitch. You aren't making it out of here alive."

- - -

Ed was doing better already.

As the Bebop continued towards Koltran, Jet had passed the hours teaching Ed the art of firearms. He started with a simple pistol and had finally advanced to a machine gun. Ed had a field day with the machine gun.

"BOOM! Bam! Die you filthy evil doer!" Ed grinned as the bullets thudded into the dummy. Stuffing littered the ground below it.

"Ok Ed. We're going to try one more thing." Jet moved towards Ed and motioned for her to hand him the gun. She didn't seem to want to agree.

"Dirty rotten scoundrel!" Ed began to move the gun around, shooting up the walls. Jet put his hand to his forehead and sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought it would be.

"Ed…" Jet poked her lightly in the shoulder. Ed swung around, still firing the gun. If Jet hadn't hit the ground, he would have been full of holes. Ein yelped and ran to hide under the couch.

"EDWARD!!!" Jet yelled. Ed heard and reluctantly pulled her finger off the trigger.

"Yes?" Ed looked down at Jet. "What are you doing on the ground?"

Jet glared at her. "Hand me the gun Ed." Ed took a step back, cradling the machine gun in her arms. "Now." The growl in Jet's voice made Ed jump back, dropping the gun. One shot fired over Jet's head and thudded into the wall behind him. He cautiously stood, checking to make sure Ed wasn't holding any guns.

"Sorry Jet-person." Ed looked at him.

"Whatever." Jet picked up the machine gun and placed it delicately back on the weapons shelf. There was one more he would let Ed try. He was sure it would be perfect.

"This, Ed," Jet picked a large black gun off the wall, "Is a flamethrower. A favorite of mine which I rarely use. As the name says, it shoots out fire. Perfect for large groups of enemies. I think I can trust you not to kill me this time." Ed grinned apologetically. "Just pull the trigger and aim at the dummy." Ed nodded and took the gun from him. Jet made a point of running up the stairs, followed by Ein, to watch her.

Ed pulled the trigger and a blast of red flame erupted forth. The dummy caught fire and black smoke began to fill the room. Ed laughed at the destruction.

"Alright Ed. Let go of the trigger." Jet called to the girl. Once again, Ed spun around, still holding the trigger. This time, the couch and the table in front of it burst into flames. When Ed noticed this, she let go of the trigger and looked up at Jet. "Did Ed do well?"

Jet looked from the bullets in the wall, to the burning couch and finally made his decision.

"We'll stick with the machine gun."

- - -

Men rushed down the hall, past the closet where Faye was hidden. Bits of their conversations reached her ears.

"Jason got his ass beat. And I thought he was 'the best man we've got!'" Faye laughed at that comment, almost blowing her cover. She couldn't afford to be caught now.

After a minute of pounding feet and random conversations, there was silence. Faye made her move. With the gun out in front of her, she began down the hallway.

Syndicate members seemed to be coming out of the wood works. Faye quickly fired two warning shots into some guys head. He hit the ground and his buddies continued to come for her. Four more shots and the hall was clear for a moment. Enough time for Faye to reload her gun.

The sound of feet on tile forced Faye against a column in the hallway. The men rushed by her. With a smile, Faye moved slowly around the column, hugging the wall, and went to the end of the hallway.

What she found at the end was a fork in the road, so to speak. There were two doors, both unmarked. One, she knew for sure, would lead her to Spike. The other would take her to more trouble and, eventually, Spike.

She looked at both doors, trying to choose when a bullet grazed her cheek. Faye opened a door at random and ran in.

Faye chose trouble.

- - -

Jet couldn't find the syndicate headquarters. Ed had searched the entire net, hacked eight sites, and still found nothing about it. Not even a hint. _I should have just put a tracking device on the girl. Then life would have been a whole lot easier._

"Ed hungry!" The girl began to roll around on the ground. After a minute of rolling and groaning, she proceeded to nibble on Ein's ear. The dog growled at Ed but she seemed not to notice.

"Not right now Ed. We need to find the headquarters first." Jet picked the computer up and placed it in his lap. He was sitting on a wooden chair by the table in the kitchen. The couch was still smoldering after Ed's flamethrower incident.

Jet began to search one more time when something caught his eye. The name stood out to him. Jet placed the computer down and motioned for Ed to stand.

"What is it?" Ed looked at the computer screen. She looked at Jet afterwards and nodded.

"Is it headquarters?"

"Yes it is. Get your gun."

"Who's Julia?"

"Not right now Ed. Not right now."

- - -

Trouble had become an understatement.

Faye had already taken a bullet. The wound in her left arm continued to bleed. She could live with it. She would have to live with it if she wanted to find Spike.

As Faye turned what she hoped was the last corner, a fact ran through her mind. _This is your last round. You're out of bullets._

"Of course I'm out of bullets. I've only got six left. Great." Faye turned the corner and found a lot more fun.

_Six._

Faye ran down the hall and met a member on the way.

_Five._

Two shots fired at her as she ran down the corridor. One hit home in her arm. She got revenge.

_Four._

Faye found a door and threw it open, knocking over a syndicate member.

_Three._

Blood and bullets were everywhere as she continued her quest for Spike.

_Two._

The door to the holding cell was guarded.

_One._

A member came out of nowhere.

_Zero._

Faye threw open the holding area door and locked it behind her. Luckily for her, it was a thick metal door. No bullets were getting through there.

Faye turned around and what she saw caused tears to stream down her face.

Spike grinned at her from behind the bars of his cell. "Hi Faye. Long time no see."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well everyone. Spike is back. That's the end of the story. I know it was good but… -Is handed message by producer- Oh… it's not over yet then! I guess you'll just have to wait to see what happens. I don't even know. Till next time people.

Seann


	8. Welcome to Hell

Ok…ok… I know that I haven't updated in… two weeks, leaving you all with _another _cliffhanger. I suck… I have been pretty busy though. I went to Comic-Con this weekend. Luckily for me, I live in San Diego!!! -Grins evilly- If you were there… at all… TELL ME!!! Note: I'll be surprised if any of my old readers come back to me :( Ok… just read it…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If Faye's jaw dropped any further, it would have touched the floor. Her eyes remained on the man sitting on the concrete floor in front of her.

"Do you have any cigarettes? The guards took all mine." Spike looked up at her as if nothing were wrong. Faye blinked twice, opened and closed her mouth, and just continued to stare. Spike looked up at her, confusion in his eyes.

"Well, do you?" Spike was lucky there were bars between him and Faye. Before he could take a breath, Faye was against the bars, screaming and spitting at the imprisoned hunter.

"AFTER I RISK MY LIFE, ALMOST GET RAPED, GET SHOT NOT ONCE BUT **TWICE**, THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE TO SAY TO ME IS 'DO I HAVE A CIGARETTE!'" Faye's chest heaved up and down.

"Could you just answer the question? I haven't smoked in a week." Faye's eyes widened at the response to her rant.

"YOU UNGRATEFUL FUCK!" Faye shoved her arms between the rusty bars of the cell and groped at the air.

"Are you on your period or something?" Spike had hit the final button. Faye pulled out her gun and aimed it at his head.

"I have half a nerve to kil-" The door banged open to her right. Faye swung her arms around and shot twice. A syndicate member spun backwards, missing his head, and hit the ground. The other members hesitated. Just the chance that Faye needed. She slammed the door with her shoulder and quickly locked it again. The woman sighed, the weight of the past week on her shoulders.

"Can I please just have a cigarette, Faye!" Spike's voice rang out. Faye glared at him from the corner of her eye. _Aww,_ She thought, _He's so cute when he's angry._

Without another word between the two, Faye pulled out her pack of cigarettes, slid one out, and tossed it to Spike. He grinned at her.

"Thanks. Now, do you have a light?" Faye glared at him but began to rummage in her pockets. After a minute, she pulled out a purple plastic lighter. She also tossed that to him.

"What happened, did they confiscate your Zippo?" Faye smiled at Spike as he lit the tip of the cigarette. It glowed orange for a moment then died down. Spike pulled the cigarette away and blew out a wisp of smoke.

"Of course. I don't know why though… I'm not going to burn my way out am I?" Spike took another drag.

"Maybe they thought you'd try to kill yourself." Faye laughed. "Spike the Flameboy!"

"That's just cruel…" Spike took one final; drag and put the cigarette out on the floor. He put his hands on the cold concrete below him and pushed himself up.

"What less do you expect… Flameboy?" Faye giggled.

"Bitch." Spike walked over to the bars and leaned against them.

"Well, do you know how to get out of here?" Faye took a step forward and also took a spot on the bars.

"Nope. I don't even know where the keys are to my cell." Spike sighed. "I'm stuck."

"That's just great." Faye closed her eyes. "When and if we get out, we aren't leaving by my ship."

"Why's that?"

"I kind of… blew it up."

"YOU WHAT?!" Spike jumped back and stared dumbly at her.

"I shot it." Faye opened her eyes and looked at him. "I hope the Swordfish is around here somewhere."

"YOU DESTROYED YOUR SHIP!" Spike placed his head in his palms.

"So what if I destroyed my ship? It's _my_ ship!"

"The Swordfish was totaled by the syndicate members." Spike growled through gritted teeth.

"Oh… now we have a problem." Faye grinned apologetically.

Before Spike could talk, an explosion from above shook the foundation. The two fell to the ground. When the movement stopped, each looked at the other.

"Did you blow something else up?" Spike asked.

"Fuck you."

- - -

Trouble became an understatement in less than ten seconds.

Jet had landed the Bebop a block away from the main syndicate building. It wasn't hard to find with the burning wreckage on top. When Jet first saw it, one thing came to mind. _Faye._ Who else would have caused that much damage?

Ed was singing happily as they walked down the street towards the front doors. Jet had told her to stop five minutes ago but the song continued to go.

"French fries! Ice cream! Chocolate bananas!" Ed bounced along, jumping from side to side. A machine gun rested on her belt. Jet glared at her.

"Could you be a little quieter Ed?!" Jet growled. The girl stopped singing and looked at him, her head cocked to one side.

"Okey dokey artichoky!" Ed pretended to zip her mouth shut and began to walk, humming an indistinct tune.

Ein trotted behind the two. Ed's computer was strapped to his back. They would need it to detonate the bomb they were planting. If they got that far.

The light coming from the front doors began to illuminate them as they walked closer. Ed danced up and down excitedly.

"Time for bang bang!" She cried. Jet cast a quick glance at the front doors. Shadows moved behind the tinted glass. He grabbed Ed by the shoulder and pulled her around the corner. Ein followed quickly.

The door opened, casting a yellow cone of light onto the street. A man walked out, smoking a cigarette. Jet peeked around the corner. He motioned for Ed to be silent. The girl smiled and pretended to zip her mouth shut. The fun was about to begin.

Before the man could think, Jet had his arm around the man's neck and was pulling him around the dark corner. Jet pulled his arm a little harder. The man resting in his arms struggled for another moment then became just a dead weight. Jet dropped him and walked towards the now shut door. Ed followed suit, trailed behind by Ein.

Ed looked at Ein and frowned. She unstrapped her computer from the dogs back and held it in her own arms.

"You can't come in Ein!" She whispered. Ein whimpered but Ed shook her head. "No Ein. Go back to the ship." The dog looked at her one more time, whined again, then turned and ran back down the street.

Ed placed the computer on the ground and began to type in commands. Jet turned around and looked down at her with confusion on his face.

"What are you doing?" Jet asked gruffly.

"Setting the timer on the bomb." Ed answered with a grin. Jet's eyes widened.

"A bomb?! Where did you get a bomb?!"

"Black market." Ed continued to type.

"Where is this bomb?"

"You're looking at it." Ed finished typing and stood. "I would stand back if I were you." She didn't even have to tell Jet. He was already half way down the street. Ed skipped after him. A minute later, the bomb exploded.

The front of the building crumbled before the two's very eyes. Ed laughed loudly. Jet smiled.

"Damn Ed. That was amazing." Jet Pulled out his gun and checked if it was loaded. "Let's get in there and save the cr-" The barrel of a gun was being pushed harshly into his back. Ed was in the same situation.

"Drop your weapon." The voice was deep. Jet ignored the command. "I said drop your weapon."

"Fuck you."

"Now." The voice persisted.

"I said fuck you."

BANG!

- - -

Faye and Spike were both enjoying their third cigarette when the sound of grating metal filled the room. Faye looked down the long row of cells into the shadows at the end. Nothing was moving. Faye looked at Spike.

"Did you hear something?" Spike didn't say anything. He just continued smoking his cigarette. The sound came again. This time much closer. Faye looked again and the glint of steel caught her eye.

Faye jumped up and had her gun pointed at the darkness. A cold lifeless voice drifted out from the shadows.

"Welcome to Hell, Faye." This time, Spike was up and moving. His cigarette was still glowing on the floor. He had his hands on the bars and was staring towards the darkness.

The man stepped forward. His gray hair shined in the light left in the room. His eyes seemed like stars in the darkness, shining on. A sword was perched in his right hand. His name, the only word that could describe the man, was Vicious.

Faye looked at Spike with urgency in her eyes.

"I thought you said he was dead!" Spike grinned apologetically.

"You can never trust cell phones."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That was a weird chapter. I wrote it a little quick. Sorry folks. I know I didn't update for a while so… I leave you with yet another cliffhanger. By the way, GO SEE THE COWBOY BEBOP MOVIE!!! Rent it out from Blockbuster and watch it. It is the best anime flick in my opinion. Ok… Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away kick ass too… Anyway… Till next time…

Seann


	9. Do You Love Her Spike?

Hello everyone and welcome to the ninth chapter of Requiem. It's been a long wait, I know, but I was in Vegas. WOO HOO! Anyhow… I promise this to be a good chapter… Time for more cliffhangers bitch! YEAH!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Faye stared at Spike, horror shining in her eyes. Spike's boyish grin was fading around the edges as the reality hit him. He was safe. Faye was in danger.

"Faye, why did you bother to come in here with nothing more than a pistol?" Spike asked.

"I thought I could win the boys over with my charm and good looks." She replied, dripping with sarcasm.

"Ms. Valentine," Vicious cold voice quickly cut in. "You must pay for the damages you caused to save your boyfriend."

"Spike is _not _my boyfriend!" Faye turned slightly red.

"Never the less, Julia sacrificed her life for him, you shall pay yours." Spike growled from behind the bars. Vicious smiled as he unsheathed his katana.

"You heartless bastard!" Spike snarled. "Leave Faye out of this!"

"Will you be willing to lose your life in exchange for hers?"

"Yes." Spike looked down at the ground.

"Afraid to lose Faye like you lost Julia, Spike?" Vicious stared intently at the caged bounty hunter, enjoying watching the many emotions play across his face.

"I…" Spike trailed off. Faye's heart skipped a few beats. Was this it? The confession she was waiting for?"

"Do you love her Spike?" Vicious grinned malevolently. Faye's tried as hard as she could to avoid meeting Spike's eyes which were no doubt scanning her face. She heard Spike sigh and could almost hear the grin on his face."

"Of course."

- - -

The man behind Ed staggered backwards, a large hole in his chest. Ed grinned evilly, aiming the machine gun at the other man's head.

"Let Jet go or get ready for bang!" Ed jumped up and down excitedly. Her first victim hit the pavement with a dull thump.

"Drop the gun little boy or I kill him!" The man screamed. He didn't know who he was messing with.

"Like hell you will." Jet raised his leg and kicked the man as hard as he could in the knee. A loud crack cut the night. The man fell to the ground, tear streaming down his face. Ed walked over to him, finger playing over the trigger.

"I'm… I'm sorry… Please don't kill me…" The man sobbed as he cradled his shattered knee. Jet loomed over him and smiled.

"You expect me to forgive you when you almost killed me? Sorry hotshot." Jet kicked the man in the temple. The man's sobs ended.

"Aww…" Ed cried, lowering the gun. "I wanted to shoot him…"

"Save the ammo, your going to need it."

"Are we going in now?" Ed asked.

"Damn right."

"YES! BANG BANG!!!" Ed jumped around Jet as he drew his pistol.

"It's game time."

- - -

Jason's leg throbbed with pain. The only thing keeping the pain to a dull throb was the thought of that bitch's head blown to pieces.

His leg had been put into a tourniquet and Jason was up and about, ordering groups of men to find Faye. By now, she should be full of holes or face-to-face with Vicious. Either way, she was dead. That thought brought a grim grin to the man's face.

Jason walked down the hallway leading to the cells were Spike was being held. Bodies lay strewn around. He knew it had to be that purple haired bitch's work. That fucking whore. Jason continued to limp down the hallway; the door to the holding area lay in front of him.

A shotgun rested comfortably in his hands. By the end of the night, a nice hole would be where her chest used to be. Just as he reached the door, the sound of gunshots made him spin around. Before he could make sense of the scene in front of him, bullets thudded into his chest. The back of his head hit the ground with a dull thump.

The last thing Jason saw before the darkness consumed his body was not the light of Heaven but the thought of Faye's dead body.

- - -

Shouting voices ran by Jet and Ed's hiding space. When the hall became quiet, the two popped out, guns scanning the room.

They began to move down the hallway. The information that the guard "willingly" gave to Jet said that the holding cells were just at the end of this hallway. What the guard didn't mention was that the hallway was heavily guarded. Just meant more people would lose their lives. Neither Ed nor Jet seemed to care.

Ed was humming her own theme music as they strolled down the empty corridor. The tune was sort of catchy but Jet refused to hum, no matter how catchy the song.

As they reached the corner, the sound of voices reached Jet's ears. He motioned for Ed to lean against the wall. Jet took a peak around the corner and saw to guards mumbling about something. They seemed to be unarmed.

"Ed," Jet whispered to the girl. "There's two guards. Get ready to jump out and fire."

"YES! BANG BANG!" Ed yelled. Jet cursed under his breath as the two guards walked towards them.

The first guard turned the corner and was greeted by Jet's elbow. Blood sprayed everywhere as the unconscious man hit the ground.

The second guard received the same treatment except with Jet's fist. After the work was done, they began their walk down the hall.

A long shadow loomed around the last bend. Jet's gun was already in his hand. Ed was scanning the corners with the barrel of her gun.

Carefully, they stalked after their final victim. Jet didn't bother looking around the corner. He and Ed jumped out, guns a blazing, so to speak.

Jet's first bullet went wild and hit the wall behind the man. The guard swung around and Jet noticed that his leg was in a cast. It was to late to ponder though. Ed fired and spurts of blood exploded from the man's chest. He hit the ground headfirst.

"These should be the holding cells, Jet." Ed confirmed. Jet looked at the girl and couldn't help but smile. They were saving the crew.

"Alright, let's go and finish wha-" A scream from the holding area cut Jet off in midsentence. Jet and Ed exchanged glances then looked back at the door.

"Sounded like a man." Jet stated.

Ed looked up at the man and shook her head.

"Sounded like Spike."

- - -

Faye gasped as her heart skipped two beats.

"Well, as I said, are you willing to die for her?" Vicious continued to smirk like some beast.

"Yes." Spike said.

"Then try ands stop me from killing her."

Faye was suddenly thrown back into reality by Vicious' words. She looked at Vicious and then to Spike.

"Give me the keys Vicious."

"This is supposed to be a challenge Spike. Giving you the keys would make things to simple." Vicious laughed and Faye shivered. "You know I have never been simple."

"Afraid I'll kill you again?"

"No."

"Then give me the keys."

Vicious stared at the caged bounty hunter. "You're weak Spike. You were weak when I met you and you are weak now. I guess," Vicious pulled the key ring from his pants pocket. "for the sake of one last battle, I could give you the keys." He threw them to Spike.

Faye watched Spike open the lock as the thoughts passed through her mind. _Did he say what I think he said? Does he…love me?_

Before she knew what was going on, Spike had a gun in his hand and was aimed at Vicious head. Faye looked for Vicious and jumped when she felt a blade at her throat.

"A dilemma." Vicious stared at Spike. "You could miss. Then the girl dies, and then you die."

"I don't miss."

"Are you sure? No one can be that good Spike."

"Just do it Spike!" Faye yelled.

"Shut up Faye!" Spike growled.

"A lover's quarell. The first of many if you both survive."

"Fuck you." Spike and Faye said in unison.

"Come on Spike. Finish the job." Vicious grinned. A drop of sweat rolled down Spike's face. Faye trembled slightly in Vicious strong arm.

Spike grinned. "Your funeral."

BANG!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I know it took me over a month but it's here now. A little short but I wrote it at midnight. I know you are all going to hate me but the next chapter will be the last. With school going on, I will try to write as much as I can but can't guarantee the chapter quickly… anyhow… ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER!!! Well all, you better not leave yet…the next one is the last.

-Seann


	10. The Grande Finale

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final chapter of RFTD. It's been a long trip… and a fun one. For those of you who need it (and those who don't.), here's a recap of what's going on: Ed and Jet have reached the holding area, Spike admitted his love for Faye, Vicious has Faye as a prisoner now, and there was yet another BANG! Let's read!

Note: There is a surprise at the end of the story. NO SKIPPING!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Blood blossomed from the arm around Faye's neck. Vicious jumped back in pain.

"Hurry Spike!" Faye yelled. Vicious was already up and moving. The sound of metal grating on cement brought her back to the problem at hand. The psycho behind her.

Spike lunged himself at Vicious, knocking the sword out of his hand. His fist smashed into the other man's face before he was thrown off.

Faye whipped around, watching the struggle on the floor unfold before her. The man she loved was in trouble. Women _never _let their men get hurt.

She took a step forward when Spike yelled, "No! Faye, get the fuck out of here! I'll take care of Vicious!" Faye stared at Spike, sweat dripping down his face as Vicious and he rolled around the floor.

"But y-"

"GO!" Faye heard the urgency in Spike's voice. She caught one last look before she turned and ran.

- - -

Spike and Vicious were in yet another Mexican standoff.

The barrel of Spike's pistol rested on where Vicious' heart should have been. A strange thought came to his mind. _If Vicious had ever had a heart. _The point of the katana was slowly being pushed into Spike in a matching spot.

"We have to stop meeting like this." Spike panted, sarcasm plain in his voice.

"How can you be so calm in the face of Death?" Vicious asked.

"Simple," Spike grinned. "Love gives you all kinds of courage. But that's something you wouldn't understand Vicious. You've never loved anyone."

A strange look passed over Vicious' face. It was pain. Not physical, but the kind of pain you get from tough memories.

"I loved Julia." Vicious' voice came out quietly.

"Then why the fuck would you kill her?!" Spike growled.

"It was an accident…" Vicious closed his eyes.

"Some kind of accident." Spike spat.

"I'm…" Vicious fell off of Spike to sit on the cold floor. Spike sat up cautiously.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Vicious." Spike shook his head. "You killed the first woman I ever loved."

"Then maybe this will cut it." Vicious' arm moved suddenly and an arc of blood shot from Spike's shoulder.

"Bastard!" Spike shot twice at Vicious as he fell backwards. Vicious stood slowly and brushed of the dust on his knees.

"It's time for Faye to die like Julia did." Vicious kicked the gun out of Spike's hand. It skidded across the floor. He pressed the sword to Spike's heart.

"Painfully." Vicious pushed down and Spike screamed once before darkness clouded his vision.

- - -

"Are you sure Ed?" Jet asked. Worry filled his mind. Spike never screamed. He was too strong.

"Yup. It was Spike." Ed nodded, punctuating the sentence.

"Then we're going in." Before Ed could blow their cover, Jet kicked open the thick metal door.

Spike lay on the floor, a small rivulet of blood seeped out from under him. A door down the long row of cells was wide open, revealing a winding staircase. A man rushed down them before Jet could see clearly who it was.

Jet looked down at Spike. He lay motionless on the floor. His deep blue jacket had turned to black with blood. Spike's eyes were closed.

"Is he dead?" Ed asked, head tilted to the side.

Jet knelt down and placed to fingers to Spike's pale throat. His pulse fluttered lightly below the skin. Jet sighed in relief.

"He's alive." Jet smiled. Happiness filled his heart. "Son of a bitch he's alive!"

"YAY! SPIKE PERSON'S ALIVE!" Ed began to dance for the umpteenth time that night. But Jet didn't care. Spike was alive. The reckless fool lived.

Their joy was short lived when the thought that a certain missing woman was still missing popped up in his head.

"Shit." Jet muttered. It all came together. He knew who was on the stairs. And he knew where he was going.

"What Jet-Jet?" Ed asked.

"Faye's in trouble."

- - -

A cramp had formed in Faye's abdomen. She refused to stop though. She had to find help.

Thought's raced through her head as she rushed through countless halls.

_Spike said he loves me and I left him to die?! What the hell am I thinking?! I can't lose him again. _

The more rational part of her head cut in. _He'll be fine. Spike will just kill Vicious and this whole escapade can be done with. _

_And what happens if Spike _doesn't _make it Faye? It's going to be your fault that Spike dies. All your fault._ This thought made Faye stop cold. What if Spike was in trouble? _Well,_ she thought,_ in deeper shit then we're already in. _Faye thought about this a moment longer before the wall in front of her had a bullet hole in it.

Faye whipped around to see two guards standing behind her. She fired twice then ran, not caring if they were dead or not. She was almost out of here.

An elevator opened in front of her. Faye jumped inside and let out a breath she did not know that she was holding when the door clanged shut. She hit the button for the lobby. The guards should all be gone by now.

She relaxed in the elevator, letting the last week run through her mind. The reality of Spike's "death." Going to look at his body. The trouble at the Harvest Moon bar. A distant thought sprang up in her mind. _I wonder what ever happened to that bastard Jason._ She thought this for a moment, picturing a few choice ways to watch him suffer, before the doors of the elevator opened.

The lobby was a fiery mess. The entire front of the building was blown away. Burning rubble lay across the once perfect marble floor. Charred bodies sprawled around the room. All Faye knew was that this was not her handy work.

She stepped forward carefully, avoiding bodies and burning stones. As she approached the hole, a voice from behind her froze her in her tracks.

"Leaving so soon Ms. Valentine?" Vicious stepped out from behind a ruined pillar. The grin on his face must have matched the grin that the Serpent had shown Eve that fateful day in the Garden of Eden. His katana rested at his side.

"Stay where you are Vicious." Faye said, her voice trembling slightly. She pointed her gun at his head.

"You can't kill the fallen Faye." Vicious spread his arms out wide. "You and Spike never seemed to grasp that fact. And now," He stared at her, his cold gaze locked on Faye's dirty face. "Lover boy is dead."

Faye shook her head. "Liar." She said. But she knew he wasn't. Spike would have been standing there, not Vicious. Her finger tensed on the trigger.

"Just shoot me Faye. Get it over with." Vicious stood there, arms spread wide with a malicious grin on his face. "Kill me."

Faye closed her eyes. It was all over. Spike was dead and she was alone again. As the anger, sorrow, and guilt filled her being, she pulled the trigger.

_Click. Click._

"Looks like you're out of bullets Faye." Vicious let his arms fall to his sides and stalked towards her. "Now it's my turn to play."

Faye did not take the time to think as Vicious ran towards her. She did the only thing her body told her to do.

Faye stood her ground.

- - -

Jet and Ed slumped down the hall, the weight of Spike slowing them down. The man in their arms moaned occasionally, but other than that, he made no sound.

"Once we get Spike in the ship," Jet began, "We come back in to help Faye."

"Ed is tired…" Ed yawned. She let go of Spike and fell to the floor.

"Ed!" Jet tried hard to keep his hold on Spike but it was for naught. Jet slipped to the ground with Spike on top of him.

"Dammit Ed!" Jet yelled as he carefully laid Spike on the ground so that he could easily yell at the girl. "We need to get out of here!"

"Ed just going to take a nappy poo…" Ed yawned again.

Jet placed his head in his hands. He stood up and walked over to Ed, looming over her.

"We don't have time for this Ed." Ed didn't replied. Jet sighed and picked Ed up and threw her over his shoulder. He turned around to pick up Spike and then stopped.

Spike was gone.

- - -

Vicious landed on top of Faye in a furious rage. The katana stabbed into her left shoulder. She cried out and slammed the butt of her gun into his nose. Vicious rolled off of her, blood pouring down his face.

Faye frantically searched her pockets for the spare clip. She knew she had brought one. Her hands searched everywhere it could be but to no avail. She screamed in frustration.

"Looking for this?" Vicious stood, holding the clip in his left hand, the katana resting in his right. Faye stared at the clip and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She had failed again.

_Saving Spike was my main priority._ Faye watched Vicious toss the clip off to the side. _I couldn't even do that right. Now, I'm about to get killed. You're a fuck up Faye Valentine. A grade "A" fuck up. _

When she snapped out of her thoughts, the point of Vicious' sword was placed against her throat. Faye gasped. The fire behind them cast Vicious in a dark shadow. Only his sword glinted. Vicious filled her vision. This was not how she was supposed to die.

"This is it Faye." Vicious smiled that wicked smile a final time. "Any last words?"

A familiar voice rang out behind Vicious.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." A shot rang out. Vicious' eyes grew wide before he slumped to the ground. Faye breathed deeply, staring at Vicious. Then she remembered the voice. She looked up.

Spike leaned in the elevator doorway, flashing his boyish grin. The blood on his shirt had tried to a dark brown. A cigarette rested between his lips. Faye smiled in relief.

"Got a light?" He asked.

"Yeah." Faye pulled out his lighter from her pocket and handed it to him. Spike flipped the top open and placed the tip of the cigarette in the orange flame.

"So…" He took a drag and blew it out slowly. "Jet and Ed should be down here any minute."

"Really?" Faye kept smiling. She was tired, the adreniline wearing out.

"Yeah. They came to our rescue. Ed had a gun."

Faye raised an eyebrow. "Ed with a gun? You're kidding…"

"Nope saw it with my own two eyes." Spike took another drag before offering her the cigarette.

"Thanks." Faye took a long drag. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Spike placed his hand over the blood spot. "Just a flesh wound."

Before Faye could continue, Jet and Ed ran in. Jet looked at the pair, anger filling his face at Spike's words.

"JUST A FLESH WOUND? I RISK MY ASS TO COME DOWN HERE TO SAVE YOU BOTH AND WHAT DO YOU SAY?! YOU TWO ARE THE MOST RECKLESS PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET, AND THAT IS SAYING _A LOT!_" Jet took a deep breath. "At least your both safe." He added.

"Oh yeah! We found Faye-Faye! Oh yeah! We found Spike-Spike! Oh yeah! There was bang-bang!" Ed began to sing and dance.

"Long time no see." Faye said, the smile on her face widening.

"You can say that again." Jet walked over to them.

"How's the ship?" Spike added.

"She's holding up." Jet placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "It's nice for us all to be together again."

Faye sighed. "Yeah it sure is." She looked at Jet, then Ed, and finally Spike. Faye's faced turned to pure seriousness. "Now can we _please _get the fuck out of here?"

- - -

Jet and Ed were waiting inside the Bebop. "Come in when you're ready." He had said. Faye and Spike had just nodded. Now the two stood together in the cold night air.

Silence wrapped around them. Spike's hands were deep in his pockets. Faye's arms were crossed over her chest. They stared at each other.

"You came to save me huh?" Spike broke the silence first.

"I was bored." Faye said.

"Now you know what it's like to do some _real _work." Spike said, grinning.

Faye frowned with anger. "I went through a lot of shit to find you and that's the thanks I get! I hope you know that I was almost raped and killed trying to save your sorry ass!" She glared at him.

Spike smiled again. It melted the frown on her face. "Thanks Faye… for everything."

"Yeah," Faye stared at him. "Just try not to get killed again."

"Afraid you'll lose your only love interest?" This brought the anger back.

"Love interest!" Faye shoved her finger into Spike's chest. "Like I would _ever _love someone like you." She poked his chest hard. "A worthless bum! Why did I even bother saving your sorry ass?!"

Spike looked down at her. "I love you." He said, apologetically and sincerely.

Faye looked into his eyes. A strange emotion filled those different colored eyes. It was one she had seen on Spike before, when he had been thinking of Julia. It was love.

This is what Faye wanted. Spike was hers now. There was nothing to worry about. The thought of just holding him made her heart skip. She had finally found love.

Faye looked into his eyes and smiled. "Gorgio." Faye said before she pulled Spike to her and kissed him deeply for the first time.

THE END 

****

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That's the end folks. It's been a looong trip. I really enjoyed writing this story. I have completed my first fanfic… YAY!! This was the most fun I have had writing in a long time. I hope to write some more CB fanfiction soon

I would just like to say thanks to a "few" people…

_Thank you to all the people who took the time to read my story. Desmonia, Kendra Lueher, dark-pyro-angel-2, FrameOfMind, Evil-Bunny-Leader, fireinu, Ayame, HiddenPortrait (There since the beginning ) ), Ms. B17, and the countless others who took the time to read. _

_Thank you to my best friend Diana, whom without, I would never had started this story._

_And my final thanks goes to my parents… who forced my on to the computer to type more chapters for my hungry fans!_

I am trying to work on a sequel… If you have ANY ideas… email me with them…

Thanks again for reading!

See you Space Cowboy… 

Seann Alkaz (Finished 11-30-04)


End file.
